Hopefully, that bright new cotton shirt that your kids or spouse gave you for Christmas fits perfectly. if not, you'll have to face the return line crowds this week. But before you put away the one that does fit just right, check out the label on where it and all your clothing gifts were made. How many of them were made in the U.S.? Chances are, very few if any.
Despite the fact that the U.S. if the 3rd largest global producer of cotton, the majority of clothing today is imported from outside the U.S. In fact, the United States is the top cotton exporting country in the world. Yet we import a lot of it back to the U.S. in the form of finished goods like T shirts, blouses, shirts, jeans etc. This dynamic results not only in fewer jobs but also works against sustainability as textile industries are high contributors to carbon emissions.
Here's an article about a creative solution to change this dynamic; i.e. to create jobs locally and contribute to sustainability.
Can you get behind this project? Do you think it can work in your area?
Where was your Christmas gift made?